HAKKENDEN: FICTION AND REALITY

During the late Edo period, legendary author Bakin spent an epic 28 years writing his masterpiece Nanso Hatomi Hakkenden one of Japan’s greatest works. HAKKENDEN ambitiously follows the master Bakin (Koji Yakusho) as he recounts his fantasy epic to his dear friend artist Hokusai. Bakin (Yakusho) sets about creating his most lasting work about a group of warriors who, each carrying a magical prayer orb, embark on a harsh journey to fight the curse laid upon a powerful clan. The serialization of that story becomes the writer’s life work, but after nearly three decades, as the story finally approaches its climax, he begins to lose his sight. Divided between the master’s life and the sprawling legend of the eight dogs, HAKKENDEN is part biopic, part fantastical tale of good vs evil. Featuring an all-star cast, the film is directed by Fumihiko Sori, known for PING PONG (HIFF 2002!) and the FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST series. HIFF is thrilled to present the World Premiere of HAKKENDEN: FICTION AND REALITY as the Festival’s official Closing Night Film on October 13th.